SIOUX FALLS – Paced by 22 points from senior center Sam Knecht and a career-best 19 points by freshman guard Kaely Hummel, the University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team moved to 2-0 with a 70-54 decision over South Dakota Mines (0-3) on Friday night at the USF Classic in the Stewart Center.

The second round of the tournament will be held, beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at the Stewart Center. SD Mines faces Southwest Minnesota State at 4 p.m., followed by USF hosting William Jewell at approximately 6 p.m. After the two women's games, the USF men's basketball team will face Concordia-Wisconsin with the expected tip around 8:15.

Against SD Mines, USF built a 13-6 first quarter lead and extended the margin to 32-14 by halftime. With a 20-15 edge in the third quarter, USF pushed the advantage to a comfortable, 52-29. While SD Mines outscored USF, 25-18 in the fourth quarter, the primarily young Cougars team was able to work on addressing various aspects of their game. 

"I thought we had some good moments tonight," said USF head basketball coach Travis Traphagen. "We worked hard and played a lot of people as we try to get everyone familiar with what they need to do out there. We are young at spots and probably had too many early turnovers which hurt us at times. But I think we are continuing to make progress," Traphagen noted.

Knecht, who scored 20 points for the eighth time in her career, made 9-of-17 shots, including 4-of-7 from the foul line and added seven rebounds with two blocked shots in a solid all-around performance. Hummel, who hit 6-of-12 from the floor, made a career-best five three-point shots on 11 attempts. She also had three assists and three rebounds in 28 minutes of action. Meanwhile senior point guard, Madi Robson, who logged 37 minutes, dished out a game-high eight assists while grabbing seven rebounds with four points.

Overall, USF hit 27-of-66 shots for 40.9 percent, including 9-of-24 from three-point range. USF was 7-of-11 from the foul line and had 20 assists with six blocks and seven steals in a solid defensive effort. As for SD Mines, Cooper Courtney had 13 points while Anna Haugen had eight points and 11 boards. The Hardrockers made 19-of-57 from the field, although just 4-of-20 from three-point range. SD Mines was 12-of-17 from the foul line.

USF jumped out quickly on South Dakota Mines, racing to an 8-2 lead after a layup by Brooke Smith at the 4:56 mark of the first quarter. After Sami Steffeck converted on a layup off a steal by  Haugen, SD Mines cut the lead to 8-6. But from there, USF took control. First, USF freshman Andi Mataloni hit the first of two three–pointers in the half at the 2:28 mark for an 11-6 lead. Then, Robson, who had a team high five rebounds in the first quarter, converted on a lay-up with just one second to play as the Cougars took a 13-6 lead to the break. In that opening quarter, USF used a 6-2 edge on points in the paint and a 5-2 bench margin to take control.

In the second quarter, the Cougars defense upped the pressure and built the lead throughout by recording an 8-0 advantage in points off turnovers, which was aided by a 5-0 margin on fast break points.

USF had a three-point shot from Mariah Szymanski for a 16-6 lead (9:24) and a trey from Hummel, off an assist from Robson, that pushed the advantage to 21-6 with 6:46 to play. Later, Hummel hit a jumper and Knecht converted a lay-up to build the margin to 29-10 with 3:59 to play. USF closed the half's scoring when Mataloni, who had seven first half points, hit another three-pointer (:37) for a 32-14 lead at halftime.

Overall USF was led by Hummel who had 10 points and two assists at the half. Knecht supplied six points and four rebounds for USF which hit 12-of-29 shots for 41.4 percent over the first two quarters. USF was 5-of-11 from three-point range for 45.5 percent. Meanwhile, SD Mines, which was 0-11 from three-point range, hit just 6-of-29 from the floor for 20.7 percent.  While the visitors held a 22-18 rebound edge, the shooting differential was the key. SD Mines had two points from seven different players in the opening two quarters.

USF continued to apply the pressure in the third quarter with a lay-up from Knecht pushing the lead to 39-16 with 7:16 to play. At the 6:22 mark, USF's lead ballooned to 42-17 when Knecht made 1-of-2 free throws.  The Cougars continued to control the quarter with Moira Duffy, who had six points and four rebounds, dropping in a lay-up with 2:24 to play. After Duffy converted another lay-up with 31 seconds to play in the quarter, USF led, 52-29, at the break. In the quarter, USF's inside strength of Duffy and Knecht helped forge a 12-4 edge in points in the paint.

Early in the fourth quarter, USF senior Alyson Johnsen and Robson made baskets to give the Cougars a 56-29 lead. But the visitors continued to battle. Gradually, SD Mines was able to whittle into the lead. At the 4:17 mark, a three-pointer by Courtney capped an 11-1 run as SD Mines cut the lead to 60-45.  But USF's Hummel answered with a trey on the ensuing possession for an 18-point advantage (63-45). The Hardrockers cut the lead to 63-49 with 3:06 to play but drew no closer as the Cougars fought off the charge in registering their second straight win to open the season.